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Riding center’s barn roof collapses in Franklin County

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A barn, seen Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, at Franklin County 4-H experienced a partial collapse sometime Sunday. Snow from winter storm Jonas collected on roofs around the region, causing some to collapse under the pressure.(Photo: Markell DeLoatch/Public Opinion)

(Chambersburg) — The Franklin County Therapeutic Riding Center has stepped up hay deliveries after a barn roof collapsed on its feed supply.

Part of the roof on a barn at 181 Franklin Farm Lane, owned by Franklin County, collapsed as a storm dumped two to three feet of snow throughout the region.

Concerns about the structure of the barn and roof are preventing volunteers from getting the hay, according to Nina Redding, district director of the Penn State Extension in Franklin, Adams and York counties. The program will be buying smaller amounts of hay more often from a local producer.

“We don’t have anywhere to store it,” Redding said.

The center has about 10 horses that are stabled in a nearby building. 

Volunteers at the riding center since 1982 have walked horses to provide therapy and recreation for people with special needs.

A volunteer who was staying with the horses through the storm noticed around 7:30 a.m. Sunday that the roof had fallen in, according to Redding.

Penn State Extension stores hay and equipment in half of the barn for the program, and Franklin County government stores maintenance equipment in the other half.

“Nothing of value was damaged on our side of the barn,” Franklin County Commissioner David Keller said. “All of our buildings are insured.”

Penn State Master Gardeners, who care for a nearby garden, also stored equipment on an upper floor.

Keller said the county must decide whether to repair or replace the roof. The roof was replaced in the early 1970s after a fire damaged the bank barn located in Guilford Township.

 

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